The beginning of the recorded history of
the northern Frederick County is closely tied to rivalry between England and
France. When the first Europeans settled in the Emmitsburg area,
in the early eighteenth century, the English government was
casting a worried eye at French moves to claim the interior of
the American continent. France's holdings there threatened to
limit English influence to the coastal strip east of the
Allegheny mountains, and thereby prevent English dominance of
northern America.

To counter French encroachment, the
English government began an active policy of promoting
settlement of the wilderness. Settlers were organized into
groups of hundreds. The first settlers, in the area under active
research by the Greater Emmitsburg Area Historical Society, were collectively known as the Tom's Creek Hundred. Their
settlement encompassed land from just north of present day
Thurmont to the old Pennsylvania border, from the Monocacy to the
Catoctin Mountains.

The Tom Indians, who occupied the
Emmitsburg area, had by this time either moved westward or died
from European diseases such as small pox. As a result, the land
occupied by the Tom's Creek Hundred was nearly devoid of Indians
and therefore ripe for settlement by the English.

While the Royal government opened the
land to all settlers for a nominal fee, it favored a few select
aristocrats by offering them large tracts of land in reward for
their support of the Crown. One of the earliest land barons in
the valley was John Diggs.

Diggs, a grandson of the Royal Governor
of Virginia, was a wealthy Catholic who played a dominant role
in the sometimes bloody border dispute between the Maryland and
Pennsylvania governments. With ownership of the Chesapeake and
the mouth of the Susquehanna, Maryland pressed its claim of what
is now Middle Pennsylvania. This remained a dispute that was not settled until
the Mason-Dixon line was laid out.

Diggs believed his right to land, based
upon his aristocratic standing, entitled him to most of northern
and western Maryland. In 1732, Diggs formally claimed, though
without any authority, all the vacant land on the Monocacy and
its many branches, which included all of present day Emmitsburg.
In July 1743, Diggs managed to receive title to three tracts of
land in the Emmitsburg area. Diggs' land grabbing was quickly
mimicked by others, albeit in a smaller fashion.

Unfortunately for the land speculators
and the settlers, the race between the French and English for
the interior of the continent soon got out of hand. In 1754, the
English were not only fighting the French, but their Indian
allies as well. While little fighting occurred in the Emmitsburg
area, Indian raiding parties periodically moved through the
area. As a result, many settlers withdrew to the relative safety
of coastal cities.

With the end of the Seven Years War in
Europe, in which France ceded sovereignty of the interior of
North America to the English, settlers once again cast their
eyes toward the wilderness. Some fled from severe religious
persecution, others from the oppression of civil tyranny, and
still others were attracted by the hopes of liberty under the
milder influence of English colonial rule. But for the greatest
part, the settlers flocked to the American continent in the
hopes of abandoning the crushing poverty of their homeland and
for the chance to own land and prosper through their own
efforts.

Situated just
north of the Monocacy Road, the major transit route for Dutch
and German immigrants heading from Lancaster to settlements in
the Shenandoah, northern Frederick County was ripe for settlement. Full of streams and
rolling hills, its picturesque countryside reminded many
settlers of the homes they left in Europe. The beauty of the
land was further enhanced by its availability and low cost, and
many settlers saw little reason to travel further.

The rapid influx of settlers quickly
raised the cost of productive land, and soon many restless
colonist sold their land holdings and crossed the
Appalachians to settled in the fertile Ohio Valley. From there families quickly spread down the
Mississippi valley and westward towards the Pacific.

As tensions between the English and the
American colonists began to deepen, the English, following
traditional warfare tactics, began to systematically occupy the
major cities and the surrounding countryside. For the Tom's
Creek Hundred settlers,
however, life continued on much the same as before, and the
Revolutionarily War passed with minimal impact on the small,
self-sufficient community.

In 1785 William Emmit laid out the town
of Emmitsburg. How Emmitsburg got its name has been
lost in history. For many years, folklore had it that there was a
preexisting town prior to William laying out Emmitsburg in 1785 and that the
name 'Emmitsburg' was the result of a
drunken public meeting in at tavern own by Conrad Hochensmith.
Research of original documents, including official land
deeds and court records however clearly show the folklore version of
how the town of Emmitsburg came about to be erroneous.

Unfortunately for the residents of
Emmitsburg, the failure of prior residents, as well as former
Historical Societies, to conduct even a basic factual review of
the town's history resulted in the town missing its
opportunity to celebrate the town's 200th anniversary in 1985.
To learn more about the true origins of the town of Emmitsburg, we suggest
you read the article: Setting the Record Straight: The Real History of Emmitsburg's Founding.

The area's history in 19th century
is in many ways a history of dichotomies. Early in the century,
Emmitsburg was known as the most productive wheat growing area
in the nation. By the end of the century, however, poor farming
practices had taken their toll. The rich soil of the Plains
States and the development of interstate commerce squeezed the
profitability of small family farms. By the beginning of the
20th century, bankruptcy sales of farms in this valley were
unfortunately frequent.

At the opening of the 19th century, it
was impossible to walk down a country road without seeing slaves
toiling in the fields. By the midpoint of the century, the
abolition movement had gained increasing influence, and the
manumission of slaves was becoming more common. Like many border
states, Maryland experienced divided loyalties during the Civil
War, and the Emmitsburg area was no exception. It was not
uncommon for sons of neighbors to meet on opposite sides in
battle. During the battle of Gettysburg, the Emmitsburg area served as a
front line staging area and was fortified as a fall back
position in case the tide of battle in Gettysburg turned against
the Union. After the battle, many of the Union troops bivouacked
in Emmitsburg, and many of the wounded were treated here.

Following the Civil War, the Emmitsburg
area continued to grow and prosper as the home of many manufactures
and mills. However, the decision in 1880 by the Western Maryland Railroad
not to build its line through Emmitsburg however marked the
beginning of the end of independent prosperity. Life in 20th
century Emmitsburg area was quaint by all standards, but it proved an
excellent town in which to bring up a family. Nevertheless, it
was beset with failing farms and the closures of several local
industries. Unable to find jobs, many of the town young people
moved to greener pastures.

The advent of the car and the interstate
road network, along with the expansion of the
Washington/Baltimore area after World War II, reversed the
decline of the Emmitsburg area. Today the Emmitsburg area is a growing bedroom
community for the two metropolitan areas. It is now a Mecca for
professionals, artists and craftsman, equestrians, and
bicyclists seeking refuge from the hustle and bustle of city
life, and home to many whose families have resided in the valley
for generations.

Come see for yourself, but be prepared,
we're easy to fall in love with. Come enjoy the warmth of our
rich history and the breathtakingly beautiful countryside.